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39 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?
Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?
Canst thou number the months that they fulfil?
Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?
They bow themselves, they bring forth their young,
They cast out their pains.
Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They go forth, and [a]return not again.

Who hath sent out the wild ass free?
Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
Whose home I have made the wilderness,
And the salt land his dwelling-place?
He scorneth the tumult of the city,
Neither heareth he the shoutings of the [b]driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture,
And he searcheth after every green thing.
Will the wild-ox be content to serve thee?
Or will he abide by thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox with his band in the furrow?
Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?
Or wilt thou leave to him thy labor?
12 Wilt thou confide in him, that he will bring home thy seed,
And gather the grain of thy threshing-floor?

13 The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;
But are they the pinions and plumage of [c]love?
14 For she leaveth her eggs on the earth,
And warmeth them in the dust,
15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,
Or that the wild beast may trample them.
16 She [d]dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers:
Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear;
17 Because God hath [e]deprived her of wisdom,
Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
18 What time she [f]lifteth up herself on high,
She scorneth the horse and his rider.

19 Hast thou given the horse his might?
Hast thou clothed his neck with the [g]quivering mane?
20 Hast thou made him to leap as a locust?
The glory of his snorting is terrible.
21 [h]He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength:
He goeth out to meet [i]the armed men.
22 He mocketh at fear, and is not dismayed;
Neither turneth he back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattleth [j]against him,
The flashing spear and the javelin.
24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage;
Neither [k]believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
25 As oft as the trumpet soundeth he saith, Aha!
And he smelleth the battle afar off,
The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk soareth,
And stretcheth her wings toward the south?
27 Is it at thy command that the eagle mounteth up,
And maketh her nest on high?
28 On the cliff she dwelleth, and maketh her home,
Upon the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
29 From thence she spieth out the prey;
Her eyes behold it afar off.
30 Her young ones also suck up blood:
And where the slain are, there is she.

Footnotes

  1. Job 39:4 Or, return not unto them
  2. Job 39:7 Or, taskmaster
  3. Job 39:13 Or, a stork
  4. Job 39:16 Or, is hardened against
  5. Job 39:17 Hebrew made her to forget wisdom.
  6. Job 39:18 Or, rouseth herself up to flight
  7. Job 39:19 Hebrew shaking.
  8. Job 39:21 Hebrew They paw.
  9. Job 39:21 Or, the weapons
  10. Job 39:23 Or, upon
  11. Job 39:24 Or, standeth he still at etc.

39 Hast thou known the time of The bearing of the wild goats of the rock? The bringing forth of hinds thou dost mark!

Thou dost number the months they fulfil? And thou hast known the time of their bringing forth!

They bow down, Their young ones they bring forth safely, Their pangs they cast forth.

Safe are their young ones, They grow up in the field, they have gone out, And have not returned to them.

Who hath sent forth the wild ass free? Yea, the bands of the wild ass who opened?

Whose house I have made the wilderness, And his dwellings the barren land,

He doth laugh at the multitude of a city, The cries of an exactor he heareth not.

The range of mountains [is] his pasture, And after every green thing he seeketh.

Is a Reem willing to serve thee? Doth he lodge by thy crib?

10 Dost thou bind a Reem in a furrow [with] his thick band? Doth he harrow valleys after thee?

11 Dost thou trust in him because great [is] his power? And dost thou leave unto him thy labour?

12 Dost thou trust in him That he doth bring back thy seed? And [to] thy threshing-floor doth gather [it]?

13 The wing of the rattling ones exulteth, Whether the pinion of the ostrich or hawk.

14 For she leaveth on the earth her eggs, And on the dust she doth warm them,

15 And she forgetteth that a foot may press it, And a beast of the field tread it down.

16 Her young ones it hath hardened without her, In vain [is] her labour without fear.

17 For God hath caused her to forget wisdom, And He hath not given a portion To her in understanding:

18 At the time on high she lifteth herself up, She laugheth at the horse and at his rider.

19 Dost thou give to the horse might? Dost thou clothe his neck [with] a mane?

20 Dost thou cause him to rush as a locust? The majesty of his snorting [is] terrible.

21 They dig in a valley, and he rejoiceth in power, He goeth forth to meet the armour.

22 He laugheth at fear, and is not affrighted, And he turneth not back from the face of the sword.

23 Against him rattle doth quiver, The flame of a spear, and a halbert.

24 With trembling and rage he swalloweth the ground, And remaineth not stedfast Because of the sound of a trumpet.

25 Among the trumpets he saith, Aha, And from afar he doth smell battle, Roaring of princes and shouting.

26 By thine understanding flieth a hawk? Spreadeth he his wings to the south?

27 At thy command goeth an eagle up high? Or lifteth he up his nest?

28 A rock he doth inhabit, Yea, he lodgeth on the tooth of a rock, and fortress.

29 From thence he hath sought food, To a far off place his eyes look attentively,

30 And his brood gulph up blood, And where the pierced [are] -- there [is] he!

39 “Do you know when the mountain goats bring forth?
    Do you observe the calving of the hinds?
Can you number the months that they fulfil,
    and do you know the time when they bring forth,
when they crouch, bring forth their offspring,
    and are delivered of their young?
Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open;
    they go forth, and do not return to them.

“Who has let the wild ass go free?
    Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
to whom I have given the steppe for his home,
    and the salt land for his dwelling place?
He scorns the tumult of the city;
    he hears not the shouts of the driver.
He ranges the mountains as his pasture,
    and he searches after every green thing.

“Is the wild ox willing to serve you?
    Will he spend the night at your crib?
10 Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes,
    or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 Will you depend on him because his strength is great,
    and will you leave to him your labor?
12 Do you have faith in him that he will return,
    and bring your grain to your threshing floor?[a]

13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;
    but are they the pinions and plumage of love?[b]
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth,
    and lets them be warmed on the ground,
15 forgetting that a foot may crush them,
    and that the wild beast may trample them.
16 She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers;
    though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear;
17 because God has made her forget wisdom,
    and given her no share in understanding.
18 When she rouses herself to flee,[c]
    she laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 “Do you give the horse his might?
    Do you clothe his neck with strength?[d]
20 Do you make him leap like the locust?
    His majestic snorting is terrible.
21 He paws[e] in the valley, and exults in his strength;
    he goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear, and is not dismayed;
    he does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver,
    the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;
    he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’
    He smells the battle from afar,
    the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars,
    and spreads his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
    and makes his nest on high?
28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home
    in the fastness of the rocky crag.
29 Thence he spies out the prey;
    his eyes behold it afar off.
30 His young ones suck up blood;
    and where the slain are, there is he.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 39:12 Heb your grain and your threshing floor
  2. Job 39:13 Heb obscure
  3. Job 39:18 Heb obscure
  4. Job 39:19 Tg: The meaning of the Hebrew word is obscure
  5. Job 39:21 Gk Syr Vg: Heb they dig

39 “Do you know when the mountain goats(A) give birth?
    Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?(B)
Do you count the months till they bear?
    Do you know the time they give birth?(C)
They crouch down and bring forth their young;
    their labor pains are ended.
Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds;
    they leave and do not return.

“Who let the wild donkey(D) go free?
    Who untied its ropes?
I gave it the wasteland(E) as its home,
    the salt flats(F) as its habitat.(G)
It laughs(H) at the commotion in the town;
    it does not hear a driver’s shout.(I)
It ranges the hills(J) for its pasture
    and searches for any green thing.

“Will the wild ox(K) consent to serve you?(L)
    Will it stay by your manger(M) at night?
10 Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness?(N)
    Will it till the valleys behind you?
11 Will you rely on it for its great strength?(O)
    Will you leave your heavy work to it?
12 Can you trust it to haul in your grain
    and bring it to your threshing floor?

13 “The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
    though they cannot compare
    with the wings and feathers of the stork.(P)
14 She lays her eggs on the ground
    and lets them warm in the sand,
15 unmindful that a foot may crush them,
    that some wild animal may trample them.(Q)
16 She treats her young harshly,(R) as if they were not hers;
    she cares not that her labor was in vain,
17 for God did not endow her with wisdom
    or give her a share of good sense.(S)
18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
    she laughs(T) at horse and rider.

19 “Do you give the horse its strength(U)
    or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make it leap like a locust,(V)
    striking terror(W) with its proud snorting?(X)
21 It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength,(Y)
    and charges into the fray.(Z)
22 It laughs(AA) at fear, afraid of nothing;
    it does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver(AB) rattles against its side,
    along with the flashing spear(AC) and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;
    it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.(AD)
25 At the blast of the trumpet(AE) it snorts, ‘Aha!’
    It catches the scent of battle from afar,
    the shout of commanders and the battle cry.(AF)

26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
    and spread its wings toward the south?(AG)
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
    and build its nest on high?(AH)
28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night;
    a rocky crag(AI) is its stronghold.
29 From there it looks for food;(AJ)
    its eyes detect it from afar.
30 Its young ones feast on blood,
    and where the slain are, there it is.”(AK)